Buster Smith
Buster Smith | |
---|---|
Birth name | Henry Franklin Smith |
Also known as | Buster, Professor |
Born | Alsdorf, swing | August 24, 1904
Instrument(s) | Alto saxophone, organ, guitar, clarinet, bass guitar |
Years active | 1923–1980 |
Labels | Atlantic |
Henry Franklin "Buster" Smith (August 24, 1904 – August 10, 1991),
Smith played saxophone for a number of prominent band leaders including Duke Ellington and Earl Hines as well as vocalist Ella Fitzgerald. He recorded his only album as leader in 1959 and despite intending to record a follow-up, he was injured in an accident and nothing else was released.
Biography
Early life
Smith was born and raised in Alsdorf,
Smith's early musical influences were his mother, and his father, who played guitar. At the age of four years, Buster was playing the organ with his brother, pianist Boston Smith; Buster played the keys and Boston stepped on the pedals. Soon thereafter, his grandfather gave away the family organ because he believed it would only direct Buster to a life of sin.[3]
Early career
In 1919, Smith picked cotton for a week to earn himself the money to buy a $3.50 clarinet. Smith learned to play several instruments by the time he was eighteen years old. In 1922, Smith and his family moved to Dallas. He joined the Voodie White Trio, playing Alto saxophone and clarinet. In 1923, he began his professional music career playing alto saxophone with the
Peak success
When Smith joined the Blue Devils, the line-up consisted of
In 1941, Smith decided to return to Dallas and to cease touring, though he remained active in the local music scene. In the following years, he wrote for jazz and blues bands, played often, and taught many young Texan musicians, including
Solo career
In 1959, Buster led his first solo recording session in
Later life
In the 1960s, Smith was involved in an auto accident, in which he was injured and no longer able to play the saxophone. In order to continue playing music, he started to play the bass guitar throughout Dallas and continued to participate in the Dallas musical community. Buster led a dance music band until 1980, and played in the Legendary Revelations in the mid-1980s. Smith died in Dallas on August 10, 1991, of a heart attack.[2]
Discography
- Koch Records, 1999)
References
Further reading
- Who's Who of Jazz: Storyville to Swing Street by John Chilton (First published 1970).
- Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians by Eileen Southern (First edition 1982).
- Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop - A History by Frank Driggs & Chuck Haddix (First published Oxford 2005; ISBN 0-19-530712-7, Page 165).
Footnotes
- ISBN 978-0313344237.
- ^ a b c d Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fsmgx (accessed October 27, 2007)
- ^ a b c d e f "African American Music Collection". Henry "Buster" Smith. University of Michigan (emich.edu). February 23, 1974. Archived from the original on October 1, 2005. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
- ^ "Jazz Artists blog". Red Garland. topblogarea.com. 2006-06-01. Archived from the original on 2008-07-20. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
- ^ "Legendary Buster Smith CD". Detailed Information. CD Universe. Retrieved 2007-10-27.